Screen It 2014
Primary and Secondary
Teacher Resource Kit
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION TO ACMI ................................................................................... 4
ACMI EDUCATION PROGRAMS ........................................................................... 4
ABOUT THE COMPETITION .................................................................................. 5
ABOUT THIS TEACHER RESOURCE KIT ................................................................ 5
SCREEN IT COMPETITION CATEGORIES ...............................................................6
THEME: REFLECTION .................................................................................... 6-14
SCREEN IT IN THE CLASSROOM ....................................................................15-18
THE JUDGING PROCESS .................................................................................... 19
FILM PRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 20-23
ANIMATION PRODUCTION ..........................................................................24-29
LIVE ACTION PRODUCTION ......................................................................... 30-34
VIDEOGAME MAKING .................................................................................. 35-38
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INTRODUCTION TO ACMI
A globally unique cultural institution located in Melbourne's iconic Federation Square, ACMI celebrates,
explores and promotes the cultural and creative richness of the moving image in all its forms. Through a
vibrant annual calendar of award-winning exhibitions, films, festivals, live events, creative workshops,
education programs and screen culture resources, ACMI provides a wide diversity of audiences with an
unsurpassed range of ways to engage with the moving image.
As one of Victoria's major cultural, tourism and learning attractions, and a national centre of screen culture
debate and innovation, ACMI has an international reputation as one of the world's leading moving image
centres. ACMI’s stunning permanent gallery, Screen Worlds, charts the history and future directions of the
moving image in all its forms - film, television, videogames and digital culture. In addition, the Australian
Mediatheque, a partnership between ACMI and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA), is a unique
national cultural resource centre providing public access to a wealth of Australian and international screen
culture history spanning film, television, digital culture, video art and sound materials.
Website > acmi.net.au
Opening hours>
Open daily
9am till late
Galleries 10am – 5pm
ACMI EDUCATION PROGRAMS
With the support of the Victorian Government, a suite of new production and exhibition spaces and
refreshed public offers were introduced at ACMI in 2009, providing audiences of all ages and abilities with
diverse, stimulating and creative opportunities to actively engage with the moving image and screen
culture.
Contextualising the moving image in all its forms, ACMI Education offers a unique range of student and
teacher programs designed to support the school curriculum and lifelong learning. Choose from hands on
workshops, cinema programs, seminars and tours, all easily accessible at Federation Square in the heart of
Melbourne; along with a growing suite of digital education programs.
To book programs at ACMI:
http://www.acmi.net.au/education.htm
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ABOUT THE COMPETITION
ACMI is proud to present the tenth year of Screen It – a national moving image competition for primary and
secondary age students.
Screen It is designed to help foster a new generation of young moving image makers by providing a national
platform to showcase new and innovative work.
In 2014 Screen It offers an exciting challenge for students, to create a moving image work that explores
ideas surrounding the theme Reflection.
ACMI is looking for creative responses to this theme in three possible formats – live action, animation or
videogame. All work must be original and have copyright cleared visuals and sound.
Screen It 2014 is open to all Australian primary students aged 5-12 years and secondary school students
aged 13-18 years as at 31 December 2014. Entrants must be enrolled in a primary or secondary school at the
time of submission.
ACMI accepts entries from individuals or teams, and they can be school-based or independent entries.
Register for Screen It 2014
Screen It Frequently Asked Questions
ABOUT THIS TEACHER RESOURCE KIT
The resources presented in this kit are intended as a framework, helping teachers to direct their class
activity in relation to game making, live action filmmaking and animation, as students respond to the
Screen It theme Reflection. Teachers should review the kit and select aspects that are relevant to their
students’ understanding and abilities and, of course, to the curriculum.
This resource is not intended to be distributed directly to students. Teachers (adults) should check content
including internet links prior to viewing with children. ACMI cannot be responsible for the content of
internet links, where website content is regularly changed.
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SCREEN IT COMPETITION CATEGORIES
PRIMARY STUDENTS
Animation: create an animation of between 30 and 180 seconds.
Live Action: create a live action moving image work, no longer than three minutes.
Videogame: create a videogame.
SECONDARY STUDENTS
Animation: create an animation of between 30 and 180 seconds.
Live Action: create a short live action moving image work, no longer than five minutes.
Videogame: create a videogame.
MAJOR AWARDS
Separate awards go to Primary and Secondary schools for
Best Animated Film
Best Live Action Film
Best Videogame
Best Overall School Entry
THEME: REFLECTION
“There are three methods to gaining wisdom. The first is reflection, which is the highest. The second is
limitation, which is the easiest. The third is experience, which is the bitterest” – Confucius
Pause for a moment. What does it mean to reflect? What are all the possible meanings of reflection?
Screen It 2014 invites you and your students to think as broadly as you can about the theme of Reflection in
this tenth year of competition. Encourage students to choose an aspect that resonates with them, to
explore and to share with others, in their moving image entry to Screen It.
Reflection could be a bouncing ray of light, heat or sound; an image looking back at you from a mirror or a
puddle; the casting back of your mind to a day gone by; or the process of pondering or thinking about
something you have been learning. Your students may think of another way to interpret the theme of
Reflection. We invite both primary and secondary school students to consider the theme and express it in
moving image form for Screen It 2014.
Students may wish to relate the theme to topics such as self, family, friendship, community, our country,
our place in the world, personal identity, body image, bullying, resilience, media, the past, present or future,
cause and effect, emotions or everyday life.
For some it will be important to think about the spaces that enable reflection to take place. For others, the
focus may be on the people who have shaped their lives. And for others reflection might be explored
through abstract ideas involving water, mirrors, or other objects with reflective surfaces or qualities.
Students may choose to explore thoughts, words or emotions in a piece that involves reflection on
language, behaviour, or actions and their impact on other people; are those impacts positive or negative?
Their work might play with colours, sounds or movement as it interprets the theme of Reflection in a way
that is meaningful both to them and to their intended audience.
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The following section provides examples of how the theme may be interpreted. However, you are not
limited to these choices, and students are encouraged to explore and respond to the theme in a way that is
meaningful to them.
REFLECTION IN MYTHOLOGY, LITERATURE, ART AND CULTURE
Reflective surfaces, mirrors, pools of water, echoes of voices and distorted reflections of the self often
feature in traditional stories and works of literature. Students could investigate narratives that explore the
theme of Reflection and share their research with the class by:
giving a presentation using the PetchaKucha format (http://www.pechakucha.org/)where
presenters are limited to 20 slides and are only allowed to speak for 20 seconds each slide.
devising a scene or short play to perform to the class, based on a narrative they have discovered.
pitching a film or video game based on one of these stories. (Cinders
(http://yoyogames.com/showcase/18)is an example of a fairytale in videogame format).
Research topics could include:
o Waterholes and pools in Aboriginal myths and legends (http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/kurtalsnake-spirit/clip2/ , http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/message-stick-babinda-boulders/)
o Mermaids, mirrors and the moon
o The fairytale Snow White, the evil queen and the magic mirror
o Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. (Interestingly, Disney is currently working on a
film version of this book as a sequel to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010)
(http://variety.com/2014/film/news/sacha-baron-cohen-looking-glass-alice-1201024607/)
o Clones, alter egos, distorted doubles or doppelgängers (for example, The Strange Case of Dr
Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Marvel Comic’s The Hulk)
o The ancient Greek myth of Echo and Narcissus
o “Smoke and mirrors”– stage magic, tricks of light, holograms and pre-cinematic optical
inventions
For a fun, whimsical experience of reflection, students could learn how to make a kaleidoscope or
other pre-cinematic device that utilises reflective surfaces or the reflection of an image temporarily
etched onto the eye’s retina. (The names of some of these devices can be found at:
(http://www.acmi.net.au/eli_vi.htm):
o A user-friendly guide to making kaleidoscopes can be found at:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com.au/kids/activities/funscience/be-dazzled/
o Flipbook resources can be found at: http://www.acmi.net.au/eli_flipbook_resources.htm
As a class, watch Future by Parramatta Marist High School:
http://generator.acmi.net.au/gallery/media/future. This symbolic, shadowy animation
investigates an experience of metaphorically stepping through the looking glass. Students could
Think-Pair-Share about the following questions:
o What transformation takes place?
o What is unleashed?
o What is the impact of shadows, distortions, vibrations and framing in the film?
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Many artists, photographers and filmmakers have made reflection a strong symbolic centrepiece for their
work. Students could explore how artists have used reflection to convey symbols, stories and messages or
provoke emotions, sensations and experiences.
M.C. Escher’s (http://www.mcescher.com/) work often features maze-like spaces that reflect
aspects of each other in a way that delightfully twists perspective. Students might enjoy creating
an animation or puzzle game inspired by Escher’s tessellation creations. The concept of fractals
might also interest students. These websites could provide inspiration and ideas for animations or
videogames: http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/fractals/ , http://www.cipherprime.com/games/fractal.
Ian Haig (http://www.ianhaig.net/ ) is a Melbourne-based artist and lecturer in Media Arts at the
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). His work Trick or Treat (1998) features faces that
twist and turn like the reflections you might see in carnival mirrors
(http://www.acmi.net.au/eli_ianhaig.htm). Students could create their own distorted faces by
using Photoshop to smear and stretch digital portraits of themselves or friends.
Yayoi Kusama (http://www.yayoi-kusama.jp/) is a prolific Japanese artist who often uses mirrors or
reflective surfaces in her art with spectacular results. An example of her work can be seen on the
Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art’s website:
http://interactive.qag.qld.gov.au/looknowseeforever/works/reach-up/index.html. Students could
create responses to this work using shapes cut from reflective cardboard, peppered with holes from
a hole punch machine.
Self-portraits are a fascinating form of reflection. Two artists famous for their self-portraits are the
Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, who painted himself thirty-seven times between 1886 and 1889, and
the Mexican painter Frida Khalo. Students could generate a gallery of self portraits by
photographing their image in reflective surfaces. The Mirror Project website is a collection of these
kinds of self-portraits: http://mirrorproject.com/.
Michel Gondry, an incredibly creative French filmmaker, has produced two music video clips that
could inspire students in their exploration of reflection. He uses cinematic special effects to clone
Kylie Minogue for her song ‘Come into my world’: http://www.michelgondry.com/?p=271 and
utilises a split screen to mirror two perspectives of an incident in his clip for Cibo Matto – ‘Sugar
Water’: http://www.michelgondry.com/?p=200. Students may enjoy creating a “Sweded”
(http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sweded-films) version of one of these clips. Other
inspirational music video clips can be found by exploring Spectacle: The Music Video Exhibition at
ACMI (http://www.acmi.net.au/spectacle.aspx).
REFLECTION AND IDENTITY
Reflection can be the casting back of your mind to meaningful moments in your past, the process of
pondering or thinking about something you have been learning, or a thought or opinion resulting from
reflecting. Reflection can inform, extend and expand who you are, helping to shape your identity.
In small groups students could create concept maps for the terms ‘Reflection’ and ‘Identity’ and
consider how one affects the other. (An online brainstorming tool they could use is www.bubbl.us)
To strengthen ideas about identity ask students:
o Who defines your identity? You yourself or others?
o Is your identity based on your looks, behaviour, achievements or the groups you belong to?
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o Who are the most important people, individuals or groups in your life? How do they impact
upon your sense of identity?
To explore the connection between reflection and identity, students could discuss the following
questions:
o What does it mean to reflect?
o Looking back at your life, what has shaped the person you are today?
o What are some challenges you have faced? Have you used reflection to help overcome those
challenges?
o Do you reflect only on your own experiences or those of others?
o How does it make you feel to reflect on your past, your relationships, your family or your
dreams for the future?
o What can reflection teach us about ourselves?
o What happens to our identity when we continue to act without reflection?
o To benefit from reflection, do we need to have a strong sense of our own identity?
o What are some of the ways people can try to help each other reflect?
o How can you represent reflection on identity symbolically? (For example, images in a mirror or
the surface of a pond; reflections in the windows of a building, or the glass of a photo frame).
As a class watch Closure by St Mary’s Anglican Girl’s College:
http://generator.acmi.net.au/gallery/media/closure
o How is reflection portrayed in this film?
o What different aspects of her identity does the main character reflect upon?
o Does the main character come to any conclusions?
o What is the most powerful aspect of this film?
Have students identify some processes of reflection, such as meditation or journal writing. Are some
of these processes online? Which ones do they use? What are some of the outcomes of these
processes?
Reflection can have a positive impact on our identity; however, sometimes we might be afraid to reflect on
our past experiences or current perception of who we are. Discuss with students:
What feelings or emotions might lead us to avoid reflection?
What might we be afraid of losing by reflecting on our life or our identity?
Why might some people choose to take action or make decisions without reflection?
You can find more resources, teaching notes and videos on identity at ACMI Generator
generator.acmi.net.au/education-themes
REFLECTION AND INDIVIDUALITY
People come from different places, have different influences and express themselves differently. This
makes us individuals.
Self-expression comes in many forms. In small groups, ask students to respond to the following:
o Brainstorm some different forms of self-expression.
o Think about the different ways you express yourself. What clothing choices do you make? How
do you decorate your bedroom? Create a mood board that represents your bedroom.
o How does expressing yourself reinforce your identity?
o How do we stereotype people based on how they choose to express themselves?
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o Make a collage of stereotypes associated with different music and dance forms. (You could use
http://www.glogster.com.au/)
o How do you portray or express yourself with digital media – for example, on Club Penguin,
Moshi Monsters, Facebook or MSN Messenger? Do you Tweet or upload films to YouTube?
Explore the concept of online identity by creating an avatar. (You could use
http://www.doppelme.com/). Ask students to reflect and report on the following questions:
o Why did you choose those particular attributes for your avatar?
o Does your avatar look similar to you or completely different?
o How does your avatar represent your personality?
o Is this avatar similar to others that you have made? Why or why not?
Stereotypes are created from popular culture and representations we see in the media. These often include
inaccurate portrayals of gender, nationality, interests or even appearance. Stereotypes are usually twodimensional and present an unfair image of a person or group of people.
Television and film use stereotypes to develop characters for audiences. We see these stereotypes
all the time and quite often use them in our own lives to judge people before getting to know them.
Discuss with students how people could stereotype others based on their:
o age
o appearance
o cultural background
o family
o school.
There are many examples of young people on screen, such as Neighbours, Home and Away, Dance
Academy, Modern Family and Glee as well as news and current affairs programs. Discuss with
students:
o How are young people stereotyped on TV, in film and other forms of mass media?
o How realistic are these stereotypes?
o How do you feel about the way young people are stereotyped?
o What other groups of people are commonly stereotyped by the media?
o Does the media create stereotypes or just reflect existing perceptions of society?
REFLECTION, FAMILY AND CULTURE
Many people feel their position in their family – the eldest, the youngest, the only granddaughter or first
grandson, one of many or an only child – influences their sense of identity. We know there are many
different types of families. There are families with a mum and dad and three children, families with only a
dad or a mum, some who have same sex parents, some who have foster or adopted children. Regardless of
the type of family people belong to, most are part of a group of people who all share a strong feeling of
belonging to each other.
Ask students to answer these questions:
o What do we learn from our parents?
o What are some of the things that your parents and grandparents have learned or gained from
knowing you?
o What habits, values and beliefs do you have that reflect those of your parents and/or
grandparents?
o Has your family influenced how you reflect on your life and your identity?
o Do you have a family culture? How is this culture reflected in things you do as a family?
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o To what extent is your family part of a larger cultural group? How does your family reflect
aspects of this culture?
Watch Visiting Grandpa by Cable Cape Primary School: http://www.acmi.net.au/vid-visiting-grandpascreenit-2013.htm and discuss with students:
o What did the photo album prompt Mick to reflect on?
o How else does this film explore the theme of Reflection?
o Do you have photo albums at home?
o How can photographs help us reflect?
In small groups, discuss families from different novels, sitcoms, films, cartoons, reality TV shows and
so on.
o How realistic are these families? Why?
o Do you have any favourites? Do you like these representations of families? Why or why not?
o Is your own family similar in any way? How?
o How do these families reflect or discuss reflection? Give examples to support your ideas.
Many people in Australia are from other places, they have left one community to establish themselves in
another. They might have travelled from the other side of the world or moved from one coast of Australia
to the other. Australia’s population is made up of many culturally and linguistically diverse people and each
culture has its own folklore and legends. About one quarter of Australia’s population was born overseas and
some people are from several culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
As a class watch Change by Tori Towney (http://generator.acmi.net.au/educationthemes/community/leaving-one-community-entering-another/change)
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are respectfully advised that this education
material may contain names, images and voices of people who have died.
o
o
o
o
o
What changes did Tori make in her life?
How did reflection help her decision making process?
Would the making of this film have helped Tori reflect on her life? How?
Has anyone in your family left one community to establish themselves in another?
Interview a family member or friend to gain insight into their reasons for choosing a new
community and the challenges they faced. Record their reflections. This may form the basis of
a digital story like Tori’s.
As a class watch Buzz Off by Yarraville West Primary School online at:
http://generator.acmi.net.au/library/media/buzz
o How does this film reflect the situation of asylum seekers trying to reach Australia?
o Does how we treat others reflect our own values and beliefs? How?
REFLECTION AND PLACE
Particular places can prompt reflection or help us to reflect. The feel, the light, the smells and the sounds of
places contribute to our mood. Most importantly, we create memories in places. Places are often associated
with things we have done and people we have known.
Ask students to answer these questions:
o What places are special in your life? Why are they important?
o What buildings or rooms are important to you? Why?
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o
o
Do you have a particular place that you go to reflect? How does this place help you to think
clearly or differently?
Can online spaces generate different ways of reflecting? Explain your response?
Ask students to shut their eyes and think of a place where they might go to have time to themselves.
Ask them to imagine the sounds, smells, light, weather, colours, objects and feelings that connect
them to that place. Ask them to then draw a detailed picture of this place of reflection.
As a class watch My City Walkabout by Mateuse Pingol and Emmie Seaton:
http://generator.acmi.net.au/gallery/media/my-city-walkabout
o What different places does the protagonist reflect in?
o Why might the filmmakers have chosen these locations?
o What aspects of the film give it a dreamlike quality?
REFLECTION, WELLBEING AND RESILIENCE
Positive reflective practices can help to increase your sense of wellbeing and build your resilience; however,
some recurring thoughts that we dwell on can be bad for our self esteem and our relationships with others.
To encourage students to reflect on this, ask them to:
List the people in your life who have a positive effect on you and the people around you. Think about
the people you could go to if you needed support or to feel better about yourself. How do these
people encourage you to reflect positively on your life and your self-image?
Discuss what happens when you get home after a really bad day at school. What do you do? Who do
you talk to? How might you be able to reflect on your day in a way that strengthens your wellbeing
and resilience?
Discuss why some people have a negative perception of themselves? How might they use reflection
to help create a more positive view?
Watch and discuss Soldier On, a short film by Billy Peters from Xavier College.
(http://generator.acmi.net.au/gallery/media/soldier)
o This film is about a 15 year old boy reflecting on his experiences of being bullied. What has he
learned about himself, about beauty, family and love?
o How does the boy suggest people can become more resilient?
o In the film, the boy narrates his story, often speaking directly to the camera. Do you think this
is an effective way of telling a story? Why or why not?
REFLECTION AND THE MEDIA
A large proportion of our time is spent watching, absorbing, interacting with and making media products.
Ask students to reflect on the impact of this by discussing:
What messages are portrayed in the movies and television shows you watch, the videogames you
play and the websites and apps you interact with? Do you reflect on these messages?
Does art reflect life? Are there any television shows or movies you have seen that reflect aspects of
your life? For example, maybe you have seen a movie with a character that has similar interests to
you, or maybe there is an on-screen character who reminds you of your mother, father or other
family member.
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How we represent ourselves in Social Media creates a certain reflection of ourselves. What aspects
of yourself do you share on Social Media? How do you decide what to share and what to keep
private?
Media and advertising provide unreal expectations on the idea of beauty and this often reflects on how we
see ourselves.
Watch and discuss these two Dove advertisements, The Evolution Commercial and Real Beauty
Sketches. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk)
o How do these ads challenge unreal expectations of beauty?
o What message are the ads sending to the audience?
o How does the way the women reflect on their sketches change their view of themselves?
o Do these ads make you think about how you see or compare yourself to media images?
REFLECTION IN NATURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
In the natural world, reflection can refer to a bouncing ray of light, heat or sound. Students could research
reflection in nature and create an animation explaining an aspect. Aspects of reflection in the natural world
that might be explored include:
Different reflective surfaces. Why do some surfaces reflect and others absorb light, heat or sound?
How echolocation is used by whales, dolphins and bats.
How reflection is used in the natural world to conceal or camouflage (chameleons, reflective fish
scales) or to showcase (peacock feathers, butterfly wings).
Reflection, refraction, diffraction and colour (rainbows, crystals, opals). (Information about
rainbows can be found at: http://museumvictoria.com.au/scidiscovery/rainbows/index.asp)
Reflection and the environment. (An interactive animation on The Green House Effect can be found
at: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com.au/environment/global-warming/gw-overviewinteractive. Students could also look at Bins vs Rubbish by Auburn Primary School
http://generator.acmi.net.au/gallery/media/bins-vs-rubbish as an example of a game about the
environment).
Reflection plays a fundamental role in technologies such as radar, sonar and various optical devices. These
technologies help us communicate, display and transmit images and sounds, and can help keep us safe.
Ask students to watch the clip Division of Radiophysics (1950) which describes how the moon can
be used to reflect radio signals: http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/division-ofradiophysics/clip2 and discuss:
o
o
o
Why would scientists be interested in echoes from the moon?
What other technologies use radar?
Is there an example of radar or radio technology that you could make a short documentary
on? What footage would you need to gather? Who might you interview?
As a class, watch this vintage advertisement for Sonar Sub-Hunt Game by Mattel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD-URVTvEyE and brainstorm in groups how it might be
adapted to make an online game.
Ask students to explore ACMI’s 15 Second Place. This site gives students the opportunity to create a moving
image response to a place. It also explores physical spaces and their diverse cultural, social, political and
historical aspects. Key questions and activities have been developed for using the site as a teaching
resource and tool. These can be found in the 'For Educators' section of the site.
http://15secondplace.acmi.net.au/how-to-use-this-resource
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Lenses that reflect waves of light are central to moving image technologies like cameras and
projectors. Using 15 Second Place, Projection Art:
http://15secondplace.acmi.net.au/explore/themes/236/projection-art discuss with students:
o Have you ever seen any projection art?
o How can projected light, shadows or images transform the mood of a place?
o Watch Echo Nacht Night Echoes: 15secondplace.acmi.net.au/content/echo-nacht-night-echoes
and discuss how the film reflects the atmosphere of Melbourne.
o Ask students to create a montage of a location that includes projection art. They could
incorporate a range of camera shots and movements and upload it to 15 Second Place.
Materials with highly reflective surfaces are often used in road safety. To explore this aspect of reflection,
students could:
Play some of the games on the UK Department for Transport‘s education website:
http://think.direct.gov.uk/education/early-years-and-primary.
Gather images of reflective elements used to keep drivers, cyclists and workers safe on the
roads. These could be placed on a virtual corkboard. (Examples can be found at:
http://www.spaaze.com).
Brainstorm how they could incorporate some of the images or symbols collected by the class
into a game or animation about road safety.
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SCREEN IT IN THE CLASSROOM
Creating simple animations, live action productions and videogames can be fun, engaging, and highly
educational learning projects to undertake with students. Such projects allow students to develop many
and varied skills by involving students in:
developing an original idea and researching information
writing a storyline and a script
creating a basic storyboard
planning a production or game structure
designing and creating animation characters and sets, or game characters and moulds
casting actors, selecting or creating locations and dressing sets or moulds
learning practical production skills including camera, sound recording, acting and directing
developing team work, time management and planning skills
learning post-production skills including editing, sound effects, music, titles and credits
testing compiled games and analysing the responses of different people
programming or coding concepts
interaction and game design
WHERE DO I START?
(For teachers new to making short films/animation/games)
Before you step into the classroom:
Familiarise yourself with different types of production by reading production guides on
animation/live action/videogames.
Taking into consideration available resources, your students and your own skills, decide which mode
you would like to explore with your classes.
Read the instructions available, including this guide, to help you frame your own ideas and lesson
plans.
View past Screen It entries - these will give you an idea of the production quality and creativity we are
looking for.
Create a production timeline and staged deadlines – leaving sufficient time to complete all stages of
the production. Deadlines will help your students use their time effectively.
If you have any questions or would like further clarification in regards to the competition or the
production process, please contact us: [email protected]. We are always interested to hear how
teachers are incorporating moving image making into their classrooms.
Teachers can choose to develop a Screen It entry in a few different ways. Although the information below
touches upon the production of videogames, we have also included a specific videogames section in this kit.
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INTRODUCING SCREEN IT
Brainstorm the word ‘reflection’ with students. Refer to the broad range of activities provided in this
kit.
o
o
o
o
o
o
What other words does reflection make you think of?
What does it mean to reflect?
Why is it important?
Do we need to do it?
What happens if we are unable to reflect?
What questions are you interested in finding an answer to when thinking about the
theme Reflection?
Refine responses to these questions, group them and then focus on one question that students can
explore in their moving image works.
Analysis
Once you have selected a production method for your Screen It entry, divide students into small groups and
direct them to the ACMI Generator Video Gallery: http://generator.acmi.net.au/gallery/category/screen-itcompetition. Here they can view winning and finalist entries from previous Screen It competitions. Limit
their viewing to 15 minutes. During this time students should choose one example. They can then explain to
the class why they chose this example, what they liked about it and how the message was conveyed.
Production timeline
Step 1 – Brainstorm the theme of Reflection.
Step 2 – Choose your preferred medium based on your own skills, student interest and available resources.
Step 3 – Decide whether you will work as a whole class, in designated groups or as individuals.
Step 4 – Script: For any of the above mediums you will need to develop a script. Discuss character, story,
place, time etc. Bear in mind that if you format your script double spaced in Courier New font it should
approximate one page = one minute of screen time.
Step 5 – Design: The ‘look’ of your project should be taken into account – how does it contribute to the
‘mood’ of the work. Discuss colour, lighting, location, costume – the world of your project.
Step 6 – Casting: Choose actors to play your characters, ensuring they are appropriate to the character and
role. If you are making a videogame or animation, consider casting voices or visually designing your
characters and their movement.
Step 7 – Rehearse: Choose a director to be in charge of the actors’ performance. Have them rehearse the
scenes with their actors, providing positive critical feedback to improve performances.
Step 8 – Storyboard: Tell your story visually. Draw a storyboard of the shots that you will be constructing.
Consider a range of shot types: wide shots, mid shots, close ups and extreme close ups.
Step 9 – Camera: Have your students familiarise themselves with the camera they will be using. Get them
to test the shot sizes mentioned above as well as the effect of camera movement, use of tripod etc.
Recommend to students that they shoot ‘coverage’ of their scenes – i.e. a mid shot, and a couple of
different angle close ups on each character for the entire scene - this will give them options when editing.
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Step 10 – Sound: Have students decide whether their project will be silent or with sound. Will the sound be
recorded in the camera or separately? Will the sound be music that is added in during post-production? The
recording of sound will be influenced by the chosen location – how noisy is the place students wish to
shoot?
Step 11 – Production Roles: Make sure all students contribute to the shoot and that they are clear about,
and confident with, their role(s) on set. Ensure that all students feel they have the opportunity to
experience a variety of roles and responsibilities.
Step 12 – The Shoot: Ensure that students are prepared with props, costumes, locations, actors, storyboards
etc. Ideally have your students devise a ‘shooting schedule’ for their project.
Step 13 – Upload or capture footage: Ensure that you allow time for your students to review their footage
after a lesson of shooting in case they need to reshoot any aspects.
Step 14 – Edit: Working with their script and storyboard as a reference, students can edit their film. Make
sure each student gets a turn.
Step 15 – Sound: Work with the sound in your project to ensure that it flows and adds to the mood of the
piece. Adjust levels of dialogue as necessary. Choose appropriate music and ensure that it is copyright free.
See page 37
Step 16 – Watch or play the projects through as a class and discuss. Give students the opportunity to make
last minute changes.
Step 17 – Make copies on DVD for students to take home– they can design their own cover.
Step 18 – Submit the project to Screen It.
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SCREEN IT – AS A SCHOOL PROJECT
A Screen It entry can also be embraced as a cross departmental project engaging a wider range of students.
Your school may have a student or group of students who are seeking an extension activity or who are
naturally motivated to oversee the production of the project in collaboration with a guiding teacher. These
students could occupy the roles of producer and director and draw on the expertise and skills of the school
community.
English/Literature teachers and students can research the idea and develop and write the script.
Art/Studio Art/Design teachers and students can create a ‘look book’ for the film, source and design
props and costumes.
Drama teachers and students can cast the film and rehearse the scenes with actors.
Media/IT/Art teachers and students might take on the role of designing storyboards, and be
responsible for shooting the film and recording the sound, as well as editing the project.
The school administration etc. could organise a school-wide screening/game play of the finished
work.
The step-by-step production timeline is particularly relevant for a Screen It school project. The responsibility
of ensuring that each step is followed would lie with the student(s) working in the role of director.
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THE JUDGING PROCESS
Judging Screen It is a rigorous and detailed process. All entries are divided into their appropriate category
(Primary Live Action, Primary Animation, Primary Videogame, Secondary Live Action, Secondary Animation,
Secondary Videogame) and viewed and/or played in their entirety by a pre-judging panel.
This pre-judging panel assesses each film and animation according to the following criteria:
Theme: originality, strength and complexity in exploring Reflection, ensuring the theme is used to present a
positive message.
Story: a strong story with complex characters and good narrative structure.
Visual Style: a style that showcases creativity, imagination and an ability to tell the story.
Overall Technique: clarity of image, sound, editing, titles and the appropriate use of music.
Creative Merit: originality and creativity, performance excellence and a unique approach to the theme.
The pre-judging games panel assesses games according to the following criteria:
Game idea
Graphics
Audio
Intuitive Interface
Code Quality
Content/Internal Help
X Factor – Fun!
Once all films, animations and games have been prejudged an average score for each entry is calculated
from the pre-judging scores. A shortlist of finalist films are chosen based on the entries which received an
average score of 11 points or higher. (The highest possible score is 15). These entries are the finalist entries
for Screen It.
After the finalist films have been selected, an official judging process begins with specialist panels of
industry professionals including writers, directors, cinematographers, educators, artists, film festival staff,
game developers, programmers and performers.
A separate panel of professionals judges each category as most appropriate to their area of expertise.
The panel watches the films or plays the games together and discusses in detail the merit of the entry,
again using the above criteria to work from. Together, as a group the winning film in each category is
decided.
Please note the judges’ decision is final, and no discussion will be entered into.
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FILM PRODUCTION
Script
Robert McKee – excellent reference and resource for story development for games, films and animations:
http://mckeestory.com/
Formatting: http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/filmmaking/getting_started.aspx
Storyboard
Interactive storyboard templates can be found at the ACMI Generator website:
generator.acmi.net.au/storyboard
Directing
Tips for Directors: http://uploadpa.com/beta/12/gyhhxvbxgkgf0sw8fact.pdf or
http://www.notesondirecting.com/
Production design
Catherine Martin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBLo3eZWWR8
Bladerunner: http://www.firstshowing.net/2011/flip-through-prod-designer-syd-mead%E2%80%99sblade-runner-sketchbook/
Costume Design: http://blogs.aftrs.edu.au/screendesign/?page_id=251
Working with actors
Judith Weston: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GINtpWp_d9w
(Note: Make sure all your actors sign a release form)
Cinematography
Cinematography techniques: teacherweb.com/WA/CloverParkHighSchool/MsSelby/Basic-CinematicTechniques.pdf
Film Art and Filmmaking: highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0073535060/410534/Bordwell_Ch01.pdf
Computer software
Final Cut Pro/Xpress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCGGEQsbtPE
iMovie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YbA-g1meCg
Windows: Movie Maker http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows7/products/features/movie-maker
Guide for creating animations with Windows Movie Maker: www.slowmation.com.au
Apple: iMovie (Live Action) www.apple.com/ilife/imovie and Frame Thief (for animation)
http://www.framethief.com
PREPARING FOR THE SHOOT: THE CAMERA
Mini DV and HD cameras are very easy to use and the quality of the video depends far more on the
technique of the camera operator than the technology.
Know your camera
Read the manual and make sure you are familiar with how the camera works before you demonstrate to
the students. Know your camera’s default settings, so you can put them back when the students fiddle
around with them. Don’t use the camera to add special effects as these cannot be removed afterwards and
shots are easily spoiled. Watch some online tutorials for tips on your specific camera.
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To begin, you need to know how to:
load tape, drive or disk
charge and load batteries
focus
zoom
roll camera (shoot)
fix the camera to the tripod
Students need to handle the camera and practice their skills before they begin shooting their piece. Get
them to shoot examples, examine their own results and shoot again until they are comfortable with the
equipment and skills they need.
Camera safety
Practice handing the camera over: touch hands and look into the eyes of the person and say ‘I have got it’. If
students are not using a tripod, make sure the camera strap is around the user’s neck.
Using the camera
It is important that students are comfortable with the equipment and confident of their skills before
beginning to shoot their piece. Your camera will probably have automatic settings and you may wish to use
these at first until students have developed confidence and basic camera skills. Discuss the camera’s
mechanism with the students and point out the need to be very gentle with it. Have students practice with
the camera again and again. Focus on the record and pause buttons and on the focus and zoom controls.
Practice by shooting test footage to try different features. Check the results in the camera viewfinder and
try to make improvements in the next shot.
Operating the camera
Demonstrate buttons – record, pause, stop. Leave a space at the beginning and end of each shot, do not
start or stop too abruptly. (Videotape takes a couple of seconds to roll forwards after pressing the ‘record’
button.) Have the Director call ‘Action’ once they are certain the cinematographer is rolling and ready.
Tips for improving picture quality
Look through the viewfinder. Avoid the flip out window when using batteries, as it will flatten them
quickly.
Use a tripod whenever possible to avoid camera wobble. If a tripod is not available, set the camera up
on a stable surface.
Use handheld shots only if absolutely essential. To do this, hold for ten seconds on each part and
then slowly pan to the next shot. Hold ten seconds and then stop. This will help to ensure that the
beginning, middle and end of the shot are all smooth.
Use manual focus rather than automatic once you are more confident. (Auto focus is useful when
starting out but results can be disappointing.) For effective manual focus:
o turn focus to manual
o zoom in as far as possible
o manually adjust the focus on your subject so it is sharp
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o zoom out to the required frame size
o repeat procedure for each shot you take
Frame your shot. Think carefully about exactly what you want to see in the frame – and what you
want to leave out. Avoid zooming and endless panning. It looks jerky and is unprofessional. Refer
back to your storyboard when unsure.
Preparing for the shoot: Lighting
The light source will affect image quality. You need light to see your subject. Select the locations carefully
and use brightly lit environments where possible. Think about how the mood of the light contributes to the
meaning of your project.
Tips for improving lighting
Before rolling, check the following to ensure good quality filming:
Can you see everything clearly in the frame?
Is the natural lighting suitable?
How will any natural lighting change over time? Look out for shadows.
Take care with direct sunlight, it produces flare in the camera lens and harsh shadows.
Don’t shoot towards the light (unless you want a silhouette effect).
Preparing for the shoot: Sound
Check the quality of sound as this can make or break a film. The quality of sound is often an issue in
student productions.
Digital or video cameras
Please take care when recording sound, as most cameras have in-built microphones which record the
closest sound the best. Excessive wind and noise will affect the quality of any dialogue recording so choose
your locations carefully!
Tips for improving sound quality
Before the shoot check the following:
Are you using just the camera microphone (mic) or do you have additional microphones?
Test audio in all your locations. What is the best possible distance from the camera to get good
sound? Keep the mic as close to your subject as possible to reduce the impact of extraneous sound
and to get the best recording.
What is the location sound like? Check for any peripheral noise such as loud traffic, trains,
playgrounds, air conditioning that may affect your shoot.
Try to shoot out of the wind, as wind noise can spoil a shot.
Avoid rooms with hard floors that clatter or echo. Carpet and soft floor coverings help to contain
sound.
Other resources
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Apple offers an online tutorial and filmmaking advice. This is a simple generic introduction to shooting
movies: www.apple.com/support/imovie/?cmp
Indie-film-making.com has loads of information about the basics of filmmaking and how to become a
writer or director. Scroll down to the topics in the drop down boxes on the bottom of the page:
www.indie-film-making.com
Find practical resources on the ACMI Generator site to help you make your creative moving image work,
including tips on scriptwriting, storyboarding, legal issues, preparing for the shoot and much more:
generator.acmi.net.au/resources
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ANIMATION PRODUCTION
25 frames per second
Video animation requires 25 frames per second to give still images the appearance of real life movement.
To cut this down, animators often shoot each frame twice – using 12 or 13 different frames per second
without making the final piece too jerky. Even when shooting 12 movements per second, animation is time
consuming but it can be done very easily with the right resources and patience.
A walking formula
Single walking pace at usual speed lasts an average of 1/2 to 2/3 of a second or 12 to 16 frames at two
frames a move, which implies six or eight positions. This includes a standing pose, to bringing feet forward,
to moving on.
Some more on frame rates
The more frames you shoot to capture a movement, the slower the on-screen action will appear. The fewer
frames you shoot, the faster the movement will appear. Experimenting is the best way to learn and master
frame rates. Positioning of character movement and action movement requires many changes in position of
the character/movement. For example, a character walking across the screen at a regular speed may need
to be moved six times forward and shot at two frames a movement, making a total of 12 frames per
second.
To save time and work, for all types of animation, try to animate only a small part of the image – the
mouth, hat, hair, legs or arms, or car for example and keep the main image constant over the
animation. Remember too that animation does not have to be perfect. Experiment with different
ideas, be creative and do something new!
When moving your characters or objects to create action, as a rule, smaller movements will produce a
better result. This allows for smoother on-screen action. Too large a movement and too few frames
create jerky movements.
The more frames you shoot per movement the slower the on-screen action appears and vice versa.
Equipment
Your exact requirements depend on the type of animation you want to make. Basic requirements are:
imagination
a digital camera – still or movie
a tripod
a computer with a firewire connection for a movie camera, a usb connection for a stills camera and
some simple software to create the animation
a scanner can be useful as well but is not essential.
Note: If you have access to the editing software Adobe Premiere then you can easily capture your animation
directly onto the computer (Mac or PC) via a firewire lead attached from your digital video camera to your
computer. Once you have opened a new project, go to ‘capture’ and then ‘stop motion’. From here you can
capture frames without the use of mini DV tapes. The animation is captured directly to the premiere
project.
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Online resources
Animateclay has a very useful section on resources:
animateclay.com
MakeMovies offers a treasure trove of information about making animation:
makemovies.co.uk
Loading images onto a computer for animating
There are a number of ways to get your drawings or images onto the computer:
Images loaded from a CD or disk
Images, drawings or models shot with a digital camera and loaded directly onto the computer
Images or drawings digitised with a scanner
Drawings entered directly with a drawing tablet
Software
There are many software programs available for creating animation. Your school may already have a
suitable program. Here are some of the options you might like to explore.
Anasazi Stop Motion Animator is free animation capturing software for PC platforms:
animateclay.com/free-stuff/free-stuff
Frame Thief is a straightforward program for the Mac platform only. It includes time-lapse photography:
framethief.com
Quicktime Pro made by Apple Computers Inc. is available for both PC and Macintosh platforms and can
compile still images to create animation, edit movies with the simplicity of cut, copy, and paste, and convert
animations to Quicktime movies:
apple.com/quicktime
Stop Motion Pro animation software for PCs stores each frame you shoot on the computer as you film with
the camera connected to the computer. It enables you to capture one frame, make a change and go on,
monitoring your work along the way. Timelapse allows you to shoot automatically, timing changes between
shots:
stopmotionpro.com
Adobe Premiere non-linear editing software:
adobe.com/products/premiere
TYPES OF ANIMATION
If you are not sure what type of animation you can or want to do, read through the basic overviews below
before deciding. Some types of animation are easier than others, and some require less complex equipment
or software.
Cel animation
This is the traditional way of making animation, where one drawing is replaced by another in a sequence to
create movement. It works the way a flipbook does. It is a very precise and time consuming process. The
figures and parts to be animated are drawn and painted on clear cels (clear plastic sheets). These are placed
over a background, and photographed frame by frame. The clear cel does not show when photographed, so
the characters appear to be within the setting. You can also use existing art works or images as
backgrounds.
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To create a simple cel animation follow these steps:
Draw or paint the background, or select a picture.
Draw the characters and other moving parts onto tracing paper.
Position them against the background to check for size and scale. Keep working with this until you
have it right.
Place a thin sheet of clear plastic (overhead projector transparencies are good) over the sketch.
Use a film ink pen or a ‘chinagraph’ pencil to draw the outline and oil based paints for colouring in.
When dry, place the cel onto the background. Use bull dog clips to hold it in place.
Set up the camera looking down over the cel, and shoot two shots of this drawing. If you were
making a 60 second piece, you would need to draw only 750 more drawings or cels to tell the story!
Using computer software
Some computer programs simplify cel animation enormously, allowing you to draw directly into cels using
drawing tools, or to digitise and load images into a program.
Use copy to create a replica and gradually make the small changes necessary to create movement –
copy change, copy change and so on. The final results can be edited, with added sound and effects if
required.
Stop motion animation
Stop motion animation is when a sequence is gradually built up, one frame at a time, with small
adjustments made to the subject between shots. The camera and the background usually remain in the
same position. When screened, the object appears to move of its own accord while the background is static.
You can create your own moveable characters, sets and objects to tell your story. Some ideas include
using clay, plasticine, photographs, paper cut outs, drawings, mixed media, silhouettes, Lego, blocks
and toys to create characters and sets.
Software programs for making a stop motion animation movie are available. See software list above.
3D Model – stop motion animation
Stop motion animation uses three dimensional (3D) figures filmed against a 3D set or background. To
create a stop motion animation follow these simple steps:
Make simple clay or plasticine characters and props.
Make models as small size versions (1/5 of the original) so you can shoot distance and movement in a
confined space.
Take care handling models as they can break easily. If you can, make doubles of principal characters.
The models are positioned and shot before being moved ever so slightly and shot again. These can be
easily changed and moved around between shots, stretched and squished to create funny effects,
and come in lots of colours.
Models can be reused repeatedly and copies made to shoot different scenes at the same time so that
the filming takes less time to complete.
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You can also incorporate real objects such as toys, blocks, action figures – bendy toys are good.
Make backgrounds using doll houses, posters, pictures, blocks, construction kits or use real locations
(inside and outside) and/or create your own 3D sets using boxes and art materials.
You can also use found objects to create interesting characters such as household utensils, bottle
tops, pencils etc. Remember that animation is simply giving life to inanimate objects, let your
imagination be your guide!
Cutouts – stop motion animation
A mix of cel and model animation, cut-out shapes are moved around or replaced by other cut-outs. The
artwork is flat but the subjects are physically moved in between each of the shots as in model animation.
You can use images (enlarge them using the computer and colour printer), cut out pictures, draw
figures with separate head, arms, legs, body etc. and use paper fasteners to make up the figures.
To create a sense of movement, you can move the characters between shots.
You can create aspects of a character that move – for example, a moving mouth will be able to talk.
Flat real-life objects such as craft materials, buttons, matches, wool and string can also be used. Cutouts can also be laid on top of images such as photographs or drawings.
Simple stop motion animation using a still digital camera
3D Model and Cutouts animation can be created with a still digital camera (capable of storing at least 30
photos either on an interchangeable floppy disk or memory card) and cheap computer software from
QuickTime Pro – available for both Windows and Macintosh operating systems.
TIP: Remember to number your digital stills when photographing your shots. If possible, it is a good idea to
start numbering at say 0200 as this will give you space to insert some new frames at the beginning of your
movie for a few seconds of titles. If your numbering begins at 0000 you cannot add anything in before it!
CREATING CHARACTERS
Ask the students to research their characters before they start creating them: all good animators spend a
lot of time looking for source material and practicing before they actually do any artwork.
Some guidelines for making or drawing an animation character
Sketch a rough outline of a possible hero or main character in two minutes.
Try different combinations of head and body sizes. What shapes work best?
What colours or objects will you use?
Think of some special look or feature for your character to make them different. Try different shapes
for the body, head, arms and legs, eyes, mouth, eyebrows and nose.
What sort of facial expressions does your character need? Try some out.
What is the costume?
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Armatures may be used for claymation for ease of movement. These can be made with simple wire
and sculpted to create characters or they can be purchased from art stores.
Above all — KEEP IT SIMPLE. You may need to make different copies of your character.
Character construction
Drawings/cut-outs
Draw, paint or collect the images you need
3D models
Make characters from plasticine or modelling clay
Toys and figures
Collect various toys and figures that might be suitable ‘actors’ in your animation. Test them out on the sets
looking for size and shape to fit with each other and the background.
Locations – finding and making backgrounds
Animation backgrounds can be as easy and simple as posters, photographs or panoramas, paintings,
models such as Lego, and real indoor and outdoor places.
THE SHOOT
Pre-shoot checklist
Before you start:
Gather the camera equipment, scripts and props together.
Check you have mini DV tapes AND (fully charged) batteries.
Label mini DV tapes before shooting to keep track of footage shots.
Animation set up
Flat images such as cel animations and cut outs are usually filmed on a flat surface with the camera on a
stand or tripod looking down on them. 3D model animation can be shot from any angle, just like live action.
Lighting
It is really important to light your scene properly. A lamp on either side of the camera works well. Keep the
light constant and watch for shadows made by people moving nearby.
Camera set up
The camera should be placed on a tripod if possible. Mark the spot with a tape cross or mark on the floor. If
no tripod is available, the camera can also be placed on a tape mark in front of the scene to maintain
consistency. Do not bump the camera!
On set
Check camera isn’t displaying the date and time.
Focus camera.
Set up the scene carefully, taking note of lighting and placement of cameras and equipment.
Check lighting. Make sure the light source is behind the camera.
Check the framing of the shot.
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Check how the background looks in the shot.
Shoot a few seconds and play back to check everything is working.
Shooting animation – a general guide
Follow the storyboard guidelines to set up and shoot each scene in sequence.
Frame the picture carefully. Fill the viewfinder with the scene.
Shoot between ten and 12 shots of each frame if using stop motion animation software. Experiment
to discover what looks best.
Move your character, making gradual changes between shots to create a smooth action. (Practice to
see how big the moves between shots can be. If too big, the finished version will look jerky.)
Don’t forget to use close ups and panning. Try changing the lighting to create a special effect.
Some further thoughts
Lip-syncing in animation is tricky and time consuming. Consider alternatives like a voiceover narrator or text
on screen in place of lip-syncing dialogue. An excellent example of little or no dialogue is the classic
claymation Pingu, screened on ABC TV. The beauty and engagement of this animation is that it is action
driven. Characters motivate action and storylines, but do not speak (with the exception of Pingu’s catch cry).
Sound effects may be used creatively to communicate ideas, emotions, and reactions for an audience.
These may be made and recorded by the students. It is also possible to purchase sound effect CDs.
Remember, you will need to clear the rights. iTunes also has basic sound effects, which students may use.
Please refer to the Screen It Entry form guidelines for copyright information.
Finding out more about animation – online resources
Film Education (UK) provides an excellent, free, online, printable Primary Animation Resource at:
filmeducation.org/resources/primary/teaching_with_film/primary_animation/
The Australian Children’s Television Foundation has lesson ideas including making a flip book and for
exploring the development of characters, backgrounds and stories at
actf.com.au/education/learning_centre
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LIVE ACTION PRODUCTION
Live Action involves actors – real people playing roles – and is shot live on set or location. Live Action
productions can be made in two ways:
CONVENTIONAL SHOOT WITH POST-PRODUCTION
Different shots of each scene may be shot, such as wide shots, close ups and mid shots, and edited
together later. Visual and sound effects, music, titles and credits are added using a computer after the
shoot.
Shoot a master shot of the whole scene first using a wide shot. If required, repeat the scene and
shoot close ups as planned, concentrating on maintaining continuity.
Keep a shot record for each scene, noting the best takes and any problems. This will be invaluable in
cutting down time in post-production.
SIMPLE IN-CAMERA EDIT
The whole moving image production is shot sequentially, shot by shot, scene by scene in the camera.
Footage is not taken off the camera for editing and post-production. This method is a good way to start
making moving image productions with students, especially if you don’t have access to post-production
software. However, this means you need to plan and carefully shoot your film in the exact storyboard
sequence. Your storyboard is a vital resource and it must include the title shots and the credits.
An in-camera edit does not have additional sound or music added and the cuts might be a little rough, but it
is an easy way to make a simple production and a good story will carry it.
Leave at least 15 seconds of black at the beginning of the shoot so the first scene is not too close to
the start. Otherwise, it may get cut off.
Shoot the titles first. Start with a shot of a title card at the beginning to introduce the production.
Shoot each scene, shot by shot in storyboard sequence, using the PAUSE button between shots. For
example, you may shoot a wide shot of the scene, PAUSE, cut to a mid shot of the characters,
PAUSE, shoot back to the wide shot etc.
Try to end each shot neatly. Press PAUSE between scenes rather than STOP.
At the end, create a CREDITS card for your film. Shoot this last.
THE SHOOT
The following process applies to all Live Action shoots. Specific instructions for in-camera edits are noted
where required.
Pre shoot checklist
Before you go
Gather the camera equipment, scripts and props and costumes.
Check you have mini DV tapes and/or discs AND (fully charged) batteries.
Label mini DV tapes before shooting to keep track of footage shot.
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On set
Check camera isn’t displaying the date and time.
Focus camera.
Check for background sound and other distractions.
Check sound levels.
Check lighting. Make sure the light source is behind the camera.
Check the framing of the shot.
Check how the background looks in the shot.
Shoot a few seconds and play back to check everything is working including sound.
Rehearse the shot several times with the actors and director.
Do a couple of ‘takes’ of the shot to ensure that you have what you need.
On location
The technical crew sets up the equipment
The director works with the actors to decide how they will move and deliver their lines.
Allocate someone the responsibility of checking continuity to make sure that actors, props etc. stay the
same between takes. For example, position on the set, hair, level of drinks etc.
Focus crew attention on trying to maintain technical quality, especially lighting and sound quality at all
times during the shoot.
Shoot procedure — take 1
Do not use voice instructions.
Use silent signals to indicate ‘Action’, ‘Rolling’ and ‘Cut’.
The director stands beside the camera.
Director: ‘Quiet on set.’
Crew in position.
Director: ‘Standby to record.’
Crew: ‘Standing by.’
Director: ‘Roll tape.’
Camera Operator – press RECORD and indicates ‘ROLLING’ when the REC symbol appears in the
viewfinder.
Director: ‘MARK IT’ (For an IN CAMERA EDIT, do not MARK shots.)
Crew member marks the shot with a clapperboard or a piece of paper and voice: ‘Scene XXX, Take
XXX.’
Director waits one or two seconds then raises hand to count actors in silently, using fingers – 5, 4, 3,
2, 1, and a drop of the hand for ACTION.
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Actors begin.
Director indicates CUT with a hand movement. Actors hold positions.
Camera operator waits for one or two seconds before PAUSING the camera. Check that PAUSE
appears. Camera operator indicates camera has stopped rolling.
The director decides if the take is good enough to proceed with or if it needs to be re-shot.
You may choose to shoot CREDITS for in-camera edit.
POST-PRODUCTION
Simple digital editing is now possible in schools using computer and editing software to manipulate the
shots. If you have the resources to edit your production and to add post-production elements such as music,
sound effects, dialogue (for animations), titles and credits this will greatly enhance the final version of your
film. Some very easy to use, basic editing software programs are now readily available such as:
iMovie for Macs:
apple.com.au/support/imovie
Movie Maker for PCs:
windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Getting-started-with-Windows-Movie-Maker
(Movie Maker comes packaged with Windows XP and iMovie with Apple computers.)
Below is some general information on post-production. Specific instructions depend on the software
programs you have at your school. Software tutorials and program help facilities are very useful and there
are many resources available online to help you get started. A list of websites is included at the end.
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and arranging shots to tell the film’s story. Editing is usually not noticed
by the audience who take it for granted that the story will appear to flow seamlessly.
Watch a few short clips (e.g. advertisements) with the students and have them call out ‘cut’ each time they
see an editing point. Look for examples of the following uses of editing:
Developing the story
o Selecting, arranging and pacing of both images and sound in a particular order to tell the film's
story.
o The editor can make decisions that one particular shot for example will work better than
another.
Evoking emotion
o Editing shots in a particular style can affect the meaning we create, the mood and our
emotional reactions (e.g. fast editing can build tension). For instance, a car chase or an action
scene will almost always be edited in short abrupt cuts, whereas a romantic scene is usually
edited with long shots and slow dissolves.
Controlling time
o Editing controls the pace and timing of the film and how the narrative is revealed. Editing can
be used to condense time or rearrange the story through flashbacks or flash forwards.
Identifying with characters
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o Editing can be used to encourage viewers to identify with particular characters. Which
character's point of view (POV) do we see most? Which character do we see most of? Who is in
the close-up shots?
The editing process
Editing is a time consuming process so careful planning of shots and good shoot records (noting which
TAKE to use) are essential in keeping post-production time down and avoiding confusion.
The overall editing process is as follows:
Import the video onto the computer. The shots will usually be arranged in BINS in the program.
Arrange the shots in story order. View the SHOTS or CLIPS. Use the script to put the story together.
The main editing action is the CUT where you join two pieces of film or videotape together.
TRIM is to trim the front and end of a shot before cutting it with the next shot.
Shot TRANSITIONS are the ways in which shots are cut together with a special effect inserted
between – often used to soften the join.
A DISSOLVE digitally overlaps two shots with one shot dissolving into the other.
A SHOT can fade (usually to black or white).
Or one shot can be WIPED from the screen by another shot.
You might try some of these when editing your film, but remember less is best. Transitions should only be
used to enhance specific cuts. It is important to limit students’ use to a few of these transitions as they
may go a little crazy with the more exotic special effects to the detriment of their film.
You need time to edit. Decisions about how to move the story on need to be made time and time again, as a
video can be edited in several different ways. Focus students’ attention on the last frame of a sample clip
and then cut to the first frame of the next clip. Do they work together?
Try some other versions and compare the difference. Which works best? Point out that editors spend lots of
time on these decisions.
Titles
The title sequence comprises the text, images and sound that introduce a production. The production’s title
sequence is very important and it is worth spending time on it to get it right. A production logo can also be
added at the beginning of the film.
Credits
Credits are the text, images and sound sequences at the conclusion of a production that give all the
production details. It is fun to add the names of the cast and crew at the end of the production as credits,
acknowledging the hard work, skills and creativity of everyone involved. This is also the place to make any
thank yous and to acknowledge any extra assistance.
Music
Music plays a powerful role in reinforcing the mood of a film and is used to great effect in influencing
audience emotion. Music can change the whole meaning of a scene when used well. It can visibly affect all
the other elements for example adding suspense, mystery, excitement and drama. Music also establishes
the style of the piece. Try different pieces of music and notice the difference. The choice of music tells the
viewer what sort of moving image production they are watching.
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Copyright of music
Copyright is a huge issue with student moving image productions. It is best to encourage students from the
earliest beginnings of moving image making to create original music wherever possible. Productions with
uncleared, copyrighted music cannot be played in public.
For more information on copyright clearance go to the Smart Copying website which is the official guide to
copyright issues for Australian schools and TAFE: smartcopying.edu.au/
Where possible it is best to make your own music. After all, you’ve made everything else up to this point!
Play instruments or sing and record these to include in your production. Recording your own version of
someone else’s song is still a breach of copyright. Or if you have access to Acid on PC platform or Garage
Band on Mac platform these are excellent software programs to help you create your own music.
Following up clearance for use of non-original music
There are several steps you may need to follow:
You need to find out who owns the rights to both the music and the lyrics in a recording.
You need to write to the owners seeking written permission to use their composition in your work.
You must attach a copy of their written permission to your work whenever you enter it into festivals
or awards.
More information
Partners in Rhyme provides access to royalty free sound effects and music loops:
partnersinrhyme.com
Flashkit provides free music loops and flash kit sound effects. Select ‘Music Loops’ in the index for a huge
archive of royalty free music loops for you to download and use in your projects. Select ‘Sound FX’ to access
a huge archive of royalty free effects for download and use in your multimedia projects:
http://www.flashkit.com/
Free Music enables you to download music to enhance a project. The music comes in a variety of lengths
and styles and is free for non-profit, educational use:
freeplaymusic.com
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VIDEOGAME MAKING
“In my observation students are more engaged in class than normally and they show a great deal of
interest in each others’ games, are keen to swap ideas and help each other solve problems. Also,
much more work than normal is occurring outside of lesson times.”
Bill Kerr, Teacher, Woodville High School, South Australia
Teachers around the globe are including videogame creation in their syllabus. Creating videogames supports
a broad range of learning outcomes, achieves high levels of student engagement and incorporates both
individual endeavour and teamwork. The creation process excites imagination, involves exploration and
research, focuses results, entails lateral thinking in conjunction with ICT, requires review and offers
lingering reflection. Importantly, it is also fun.
Getting started
Playing videogames is great fun, particularly when the game has been well designed. A well-designed game
should provide a well-balanced mixture of challenges and rewards, with imagery and sounds that do not
distract you and preferably enhance the experience. In a well-designed game, your position as the player
should be easily understood. These are the key elements to a good game.
Start by creating your game with a clear understanding of these basics and you are well on your way to
making something that both you and the player will enjoy. Making your own videogames and seeing others
enjoying them can actually be more fun than playing games.
Most commercially available videogames are made by an entire team, with individuals possessing differing
skill sets and experience. They will often have extensive time, finance and technical resources. The game/s
you make with the software packages selected below will not be at the same level or scale as something
like The Sims or Gran Turismo and they will not be in 3D. You will however have the scope in these programs
to make a game that really draws a player in and keeps her or him playing and having a fun time.
As a teacher you will have experience in discussing and showing different media, such as films, books and
games, with your students. It is important to consider the National Classification Scheme markings which
offer information and assistance with assessing the suitability of commercial videogames for classroom
use. Teachers should make their own assessment before general classroom viewing of any screen content.
You will find a factsheet designed for teachers here:
classification.gov.au/Public/Resources/Pages/Fact-sheets.aspx
THE GAME CREATION PROCESS
Research the idea
Play the type of games you want to make. Write down what you like about these games.
Select groups
Form groups with people who like the same sort of games you like, or perhaps those who like different
sorts of games. This might make an interesting mix with your knowledge.
Experiment
Now select someone to explore the software and use it to make a very simple experimental game purely for
practice.
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Take turns to play the game observing and discussing what players like or dislike and what works or does
not work. This should not be the game you submit. It is just to get some background understanding.
More research
Play games. This time play two dimensional (2D) games similar to the games you will make using the
software mentioned below.
List the parts of the games you like and what you do not like (e.g. gameplay, challenges and rewards,
graphics, audio, fun value and replayability).
Try some of the games at these websites:
Gamemaker games
gamemakergames.com/archive
yoyogames.com
Adobe (Macromedia) Flash games
www.abc.net.au/gameon
Brainstorming
As with story ideas and storyboards in moving image productions you need to record some game outline
ideas – pen and paper often works well for brainstorming. Focus on:
who will want to play the game (age, sex, etc.)
the genre or style (platform, maze, adventure, quiz, multiplayer, etc.)
the underlying story
the primary characters or objects (aliens, tennis racquets, dancing dogs, etc.)
the look and feel of the game (retro, futuristic, romantic, spooky, etc.)
What you end up creating may well be quite different from what you have brainstormed. However this
initial mapping will aid you once you begin the game construction. Creating a coherent game design from
the beginning, with one clear goal, will minimise potential difficulties when in the throes of programming
the game.
Making the game
Start making your Screen It game.
Make a rough test or practice version game ensuring the components actually work without
worrying about the more intricate look of the game.
Test it on the team or friends, making sure they know it’s a test version and that you want to know
what they think doesn’t work. Maybe get a blog started about it.
Copyright
The games you make must only contain work that you have created or other people’s work if you have been
given express permission to use it for the Screen It competition. These permissions MUST BE FOR ACMI to
use (e.g. web, within ACMI, anywhere outside ACMI, etc.). Any work that you enter which is not cleared for
copyright will not be accepted. This includes all visual material, all audio (e.g. music, sound FX, voice, etc.)
and the programming code (e.g. the action scripting).
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Game Maker, Klik n Play and Macromedia Flash all come bundled with copyright-cleared materials
such as images and sounds, which are acceptable for the Screen It competition.
ACMI recognises that your work is your intellectual property and will always credit you as the creator when
your work is shown. Refer to the Screen It Entry form for guidelines.
Software, technical requirements and resources
There is a large range of software available to help you make your videogames. Some popular software you
can use for free includes Yoyo Gamemaker, Adobe Flash and 3D Game Maker.
Submit any videogame playable on a Windows computer (Windows XP and newer) or Macintosh computer
(OS 10.4 or newer).
No third party software should be required to play the game with the exception of commonly available free
plugins (e.g. Flash, DirectX, Java).
Game making software examples
Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a
story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Cost: Free
alice.org
Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations,
games, music and art. It also allows you to share your creations on the web. Cost: Free
scratch.mit.edu
Kodu is a visual programming language made specifically for creating games. It is designed to be accessible
for children and enjoyable for anyone. Games run on Xbox 360 and PC. Cost: Free
kodugamelab.com/
XNA Game Studio Express is an integrated development environment designed to make it easier to
develop games for Windows and Xbox 360. XNA Game Studio Express is intended for advanced students or
hobbyists of Microsoft XNA. Cost: Free
creators.xna.com/en-US
Adobe Flash is a highly versatile software tool with a large array of functionality. It can be daunting at first
as it has its own particular language that you must understand to operate it. In order to create interactivity
(essential for a game) you must also utilise the inbuilt ‘action script’ programming language and output
options. Cost: Trial 30 days Free
adobe.com/products/flash
It is recommended that you have some prior experience creating Adobe Flash before embarking on creating
a Flash game. Ideas about using Flash as an educational tool can be found at: flashclassroom.com
Yoyo Game Maker helps users develop computer games without the requirement of prior computer
programming experience. Advanced users can create complex applications with its built-in scripting
language. It uses a drag-and-drop system, allowing users unfamiliar with programming to intuitively create
games by visually organising icons on the screen. These icons represent actions that would occur in a game,
such as movement, basic drawing, and simple control structures. Cost: Studio Edition free but has limited
functionality.
yoyogames.com/studio
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3D Adventure Studio is an editor for creating adventure games. Requires Microsoft Open AL software.
Cost: Free
3das.noeska.com/download.aspx
RPG Maker XP can be used to create role-playing games. It has a user-friendly editor interface and its
graphic capabilities, battle screen layout and data packaging features are better than ever. It includes a new
scripting function. Cost: Free (30 day trial)
rpgmakerweb.com/product/rpg-maker-xp#axzz1Klh4wUOC
Platinum Arts Sandbox Free 3D Game Maker is an open source game design program for kids and adults.
Through the in-game and cooperative editing, and focus on ease of use, the program is easy enough for
kids to use but powerful enough for full game projects. Cross Platform. Cost: Free (for non-commercial use)
sandboxgamemaker.com
Game Editor is game design software that lets you design 2D games with little or no programming or
technical knowledge. Cost: Free (limited functions)
game-editor.com/Main_Page
RPG Toolkit is a simple, flexible and powerful tool for creating role-playing games. The Toolkit has various
easy-to-use tools that allow you to put together enemies, special moves and more with a few clicks of the
mouse. Cost: Free
rpgtoolkit.net/home
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